Improvement in producing gas from solid carbons



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVI STEVENS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT 0F COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRODUCING GAS FROM SOLID CARBONS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 112,088, dated February 21, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVI STEVENS, of the city of Washington, in the county of Washington and District of Columbia, have invented certain Improvements in Process ot' Producing Protoxide ot' Carbon from Solid Garbonaceous Materials, ot' which the following is a specication, reference being had t-o the accompanyin g drawings.

My invention relates to processes for the production ot' a gas for heating purposes', and consists in distilling carbon vapor from bituminous coal, asphaltum, or other solid carbonaceoiis materials, and uniting or combining the same with superheated steam under pressure by the use ot' any apparatus'suitable for the purpose.

In the drawings, Figure lis an end elevation of an apparatus suitable t'or the purpose. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section 011 the line .fr @o of Fig. 3, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section 011 the line y y of Fig. l.

In constructing an apparatus suitable for' the production of a gas for heating purposes by my process7 and for utilizing the same for combustion, I set a steam-boiler, A, in masonwork B, as'shown in all the figures. Outside ot' the boiler is a chamber, C, from which rises a smoke-stack, as shown in Fig. 3. Under the front end ot the boiler I set three retorts, a, I), and c, so'as to be immediately over the tire-bed or furnace, as shown in all the figures. The front end of these retorts may be llush With the front end of the boiler, and about halt' the length of the same, as shown in Fig.

3. A steam-pipe, d, is arranged to communicate with the boiler and the middle retort b, and is provided With a valve,j', for regulating the lioW of steam. The central retort b is connected, by pipes g, with the side retorts c and c, and the side retorts ct and c With pipes h, communicating With chambers or passages E, provided with openings into the furnace or lire-place F under the retorts,'all as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The pipes L are provided with cocks 11, as shown in Fig. 2, tor regulating the pressure in the retorts. In the rear of the furnace is an opening for the flame and smoke, which take the direction ot' the arrows, as shown in Fig. 3, along under the boiler, then intoand through its flues to the front chamber C, and then up through the smoke-stack, as shown in the same figure.

By means of an apparatus otl this kind, or any other similarly constructed, I am able to carry on my process as follows: llhe side retorts a and c are charged with bituminous coal, asphaltum, or other similar solid carbonaceous material, and the central 'retort b with coke or charcoal, and the boiler provided with water. A tire is then made in the furnace, the ei'ect ot' which is to produce steamv in the boiler, carbon vapor in the side retorts, and to heat the coke or charcoal in the central retort. The steam passes through the pipe d into the central retort b. When coming in contact with the hot coke or charcoal itis superheated. It then passes into the side retorts. When coming in contact with the carbon vapor under a pressure ot' about twenty pounds, regulated by the cocks t' in the pipes h, it combines with the same, and forms a highly combustible gas, which passes through the pipes It and chambers or passages E, enters the furnace F, and there burns, producing the requisite heat forthe retorts and boiler.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isA The process herein described ot' volatilizing solid carbon, and uniting or combining it with superheated steam, for heating purposes.

LEVI STEVENS. Witnesses:

H. B. MUNN, PHIL. F. DODGE. 

